Not Sweet, Not Bitter
by PurebloodHorcrux
Summary: July 1997: While the Dark Lord plans to kill Harry Potter on his way to a safer place, away from Privet Drive, he is surprised by a young, but very sassy woman, looking highly like Bellatrix, his most loyal and faithful servant. But not only does she resemble Bellatrix, Voldemort finds trades of his former self. A Bellatrix/Voldemort and OC/Draco Malfoy/Zabini Blaise
1. Prologue

While all his, more or less, Death Eaters sat around the large table at Malfoy Manor, the Dark Lord looked out of the window.

He still wasn't sure whom he should believe: Snape or Yaxley.  
As Snape was no longer a member of the Order of the Phoenix there was no possibility to know when the boy should be travelling from his current place of safety.

Yaxley on the other hand, worked at the Ministry; therefore he could know when he would be able to defeat the boy.  
He knew that all his followers were looking at him, waiting for him to make a decision, not daring to speak first.  
"Bellatrix, my most faithful and loyal Death Eater", Voldemort said, looking directly at her and seeing how she blushed. "What do you recommend? Is Severus trust worthy enough so that we operate next Saturday at nightfall, or shall we trust Yaxley, and wait for the boy to turn seventeen?"  
But before Bellatrix could answer his question, Severus said: "With all permission my Lord, my source told me that there are plans to lay a false trail; this must be it. I assure you, Yaxley, the Auror Office will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believes that we have infiltrated the Ministry."  
The Dark Lord started to laugh and his cold voice was the only thing echoing through the Manor. "Indeed, the Order has received truthful information. The Ministry is infiltrated, or would you disagree Thicknesse?"  
"No, my Lord", answered the man sitting next to him. For months now the man stood under the Imperius Curse that Voldemort placed on him himself.  
While the Dark Lord thought about Snapes objection, there was a loud scream, followed by Wormtails wiry voice that said: "My Lord… I-I don't… How shall I say that…?", he started to look at Bellatrix, gave a wailing sound and sank on his knees. "Oh, it's my entire fault. I should never have trusted her."  
Voldemort rose from his chair and walked slowly towards Wormtail. "Speak up, Wormtail. There's no one that will harm you for your mistakes." With grand, watery eyes his servant looked at him, but before he had the chance to answer, the Dark Lord heard a woman laughing.  
"No, Wormtail. Your stupidity is not your fault, nor is my cleverness", said a woman who was standing in the shadows and now moved in the direction towards the Dark Lord himself.  
Around the table there were murmurs and people started to look between Bellatrix and the young female.  
"She looks like her!", cried one of the Death Eaters. "How is that possible?"  
"Yes, Bellatrix, tell me: Why does this one look like you?" asked Voldemort. But not only did the female have a high resemblance with his faithful Death Eater, with her long, black and curly hair, her high cheekbones, her well-formed lips and the pale skin, but he recognized trades of his future own.

"Well, since no one asked, I'll just pretend you all invited me to sit here and listen to your amusing plans to catch that Potter bloke", said the girl, ignoring his question and walked around Voldemort, and added: "It's really nice to finally meet you all. Especially you, my Lord", she nodded and sat next to Bellatrix. "And you, Mum!"


	2. Black

Black

Leaning her head back and staring at the ceiling, she said in her soft voice: "I really do like it here. Lovely place you have, Cissy."  
"Do. Not. Call. Me. Cissy", hissed the blonde towards the younger. "What is your name anyway? Since you were so exorbitant to not introduce yourself!"  
Voldemort went around the table, always looking at the young female. "Sh, Narcissa, let's give her time to feel comfortable."  
The pale mother stared at the female with anger. "Give her time? What for? Why don't we just kill her?"

Yes, why didn't he let them kill her? She couldn't be true. There was no way that she could look like Bellatrix. And it was even more impossible that she looked like him or like his father. But he needed to find out. That's why she was still alive, but of course he couldn't tell this his supporters.  
"Narcissa, I didn't ask whether you want her to be killed. I, for example, would recommend knowing her name first. Additionally, I'd like to ask her what she thinks about that, so called, Potter bloke. Perhaps she's as useful as Thicknesse", the Dark Lord said softly.  
"Oh, yes, Master! Kill me!" said the girl, mimicking Narcissa's voice and facial expression. "Or not. As you recommended so pleasantly, I shall introduce myself."

Her long black cloak was floating behind her, while she was walking around the table.

Reaching the head of the table, she threw her black hair over her shoulders and said: "My name is Charis Elladora Merope Black. Are there any further information you require?" With a perfect imitation of Bellatrix' arrogant facial expression she looked around the room and sat down at the chair, Voldemort was sitting in before.

"Excuse me, but this is my place, if you didn't notice before, while being overwhelmed by your abnormal arrogance", said the Dark Lord coolly and walked towards his former chair. He stopped, exactly behind her and placed his cold, pale hand on her shoulder. Unlike most of his Death Eaters, she didn't shiver or try to turn away at his touch. Moments later, he took away his hand and stared to walk around the table himself, stopping near Bellatrix, who was still looking at the woman in shock and lack of understanding.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. But if you didn't notice now, I do sit here quite comfortably. Didn't you recommend to make myself comfortable around this lovely Manor?", fired Charis back, smiling at him, a perfect imitation of his smile that he used while studying at Hogwarts, whenever he wanted to charm the staff. But still, the Dark Lord was furious. Never, in his whole life he was treated that way. Around the table the Death Eaters watched the spectacle in shock. If she was going to provoke him any longer, there was a high chance of her being killed, but the Dark Lord wouldn't be satisfied with that. He needed to know more about her. He needed to understand how she was exactly possible. How could he have not noticed Bellatrix being pregnant? And more important, how could she have been pregnant with his child? But before he could think about more unanswered questions, she started to speak again.  
"But, anyhow, the reason for me to come here is simple. You want the boy, I got the information. Deal?", she asked and stood up, walking, again, around the table. All male Death Eaters stared at her, for she was a real beauty. She stopped at the fireplace, looking directly at Voldemort, who, by now, was sitting in his chair again.  
"Well...", he calmly said. "How am I supposed to trust you?"  
The black haired girl laughed. "You don't have to trust me, of course. But I heard you are very interested in killing that boy. Wouldn't it be a pity to believe false information and miss your chance?" As she leaned on the wall, she crossed her arms under her chest. Her cloak, which was close-fitted, emphasised her well formed and very female body.  
Before the Dark Lord could eve answer, Yaxley shot at her: "How do you even know that your information is right? Do you work in the Ministry?"  
"One does not have to work in the Ministry to know certain things, Yaxley. As a matter of fact, I know that it was you, who took part in the kidnapping of Ollivander. I know that you are the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, after escaping of Azkaban. Did you like it there?" Yaxley stroke through his hair and looked away, furiously.  
"Well, well, we are not discussing Yaxley's past here, are we?", Voldemort said, sitting now upright, his hands folded upon the table. "As I asked before, how were you able to get such information?"

"Being quite skilled not only in espionage but furthermore in potions making, I was able to receive those information from a source, you, my Lord, will find more than satisfying."  
"And who is that, so called, satisfying source?", asked Voldemort. The Dark Lord was still furious, but calmed down, as she continued to talk. She might be quite useful. Perhaps she really knew more about the plans to transport Potter.

"Oh, well, I most certainly can't tell you", said Charis, starting to smile arrogantly again. Again, she was playing games. Playing her time out. Playing with his temper. Around the table the Death Eaters sat quietly and very still, trying not to disturb and maybe having to endure the anger of the Dark Lord. He knew, the only way to force her to give him the information as either through torture or through Legilimency. Therefore he performed the non-verbal spell that would have enabled him to look into her mind and search for the information he required. But instead of getting information, Charis started to laugh again, now even higher and louder and started to sound like Bellatrix. But she didn't say anything about his failed attend to enter her mind.  
How was that even possible, Voldemort thought? He was the most skilled Legelimens. She was probably a very skilled Occlumence, otherwise this happening was inexplicable.

"My Lord, may I just hand you over the information I gathered?", Charis asked, smiling charmingly at his direction. "But on a more private way?" The Dark Lord nodded, knowing he was now able to invade her mind, to search the information he was looking for. At the moment, he was ignoring the confused glares of his followers, who didn't know what was happening between Voldemort and Charis. He performed the spell again and entered her mind.  
He knew instantly how skilled she was in Occlumency. She was only giving him the information he needed. Leading him trough her memories.  
Her transformation with the Polyjuce Potion into an old Lady, sneaking towards members of the Order of the Phoenix and using simple Legelimens to gather all the information and reconfiguring their mind afterwards.

She is very skilled, Voldemort thought, while he ended the connection to her mind.

Smilingly, very satisfied about the inquiry, he said: "On Saturday next, at nightfall, the boy will be moved. Snape, I should have trusted you right away.  
Now, I shall make plans for this encounter. Certainly, nothing shall go wrong!

I shall attend to the boy in person. There have been too many mistakes where Harry Potter is concerned, some of them have been my own. That Potter lives is due more to my errors than to his triumphs. I have been careless, and so have been thwarted by luck and chance, those wreckers' all but best-laid plans. But I know better now. I understand those things that I did not understand before, I must the one to kill Harry Potter, and I shall be." Voldemort rose from his chair, walking around the table, passing Charis, before speaking again. "As I was saying, I understand better now. I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go kill Potter." The Dark was looking around. "No volunteers? Let's see... Lucius, I see no reason for you to have a wand anymore."

"But...My Lord?", Lucius stuttered, looking firstly at his wife than at the female at the fireplace.

"I require your wand!", Voldemort said once before.  
Narcissa looked more furious that ever. "But my Lord! Why take away his wand? Why not hers?" She pointed at Charis, who started grinning.  
"Oh, yes, my Lord. Take not just my life, but also my wand. Please", Charis said while imitating the blondes' voice.  
"Oh, Narcissa. Having a bad day? You do not seem too pleasant about her being here? Why might that be?", the Dark Lord asked, smiling.  
Narcissa stood up, walking towards the other female. "Firstly, she's absolute arrogant, strutting around like it would be her Manor, behaving like she would be somewhat better than us and being insultingly sassy!" Narcissa snorted angrily. "My husband has always been a faithful servant. Our family served you, my Lord, with great honour. My husband went to jail and Draco tried everything to please you, my Lord. I do not want to rant, but my Lord, wouldn't it be fair to let her give you her wand? What is she supposed to do with it? She's only a child herself." Furious with rage, Narcissa stood in front of the younger image of her older sister. Besides all these annoying incidents, the blond Malfoy was not the only one wondering why that girl looked like her sister. She could not remember Bella being pregnant, Rodolphus declaring to become a father. Her sister never showed a slight romantic interest in her husband.  
"Narcissa, do not exaggerate! Lucius was not always as faithful as you tried to present. Sure, the Malfoys served me well, not only your husband, but lately even your son. But don't forget. Both failed! Would you rather give me your wand? Or should your son give me his?", Voldemort asked, first looking at Narcissa then at Draco. The boy tried to look away and was nearly sinking under the table. He looked more than just uncomfortable.  
Wit shock, Narcissa answered: "No, my Lord. I mean... no... I just still can't understand why you do not require her wand!"  
Voldemort nodded. Yes, he could take Charis' wand, but he it was questionable whether her wand was good enough. "Girl, what wand do you use?"  
"A 13 ½ inch long blackthorn wand with a phoenix feather core! Do you want to try him out?", she asked, opening her coat, revealing a stunningly beautiful body, a red corsage and a long wand holding which was running alongside her hip, towards her thigh. She grabbed her wand and pointed it towards the Dark Lord.

"With pleasure!", he said, walking towards the two women and taking the wand. "Wormtail, come forward please!" With a whimper the wobbly servant stepped forward. Non-verbally the Dark Lord tried to perform the Cruciatus Curse, but nothing happened. The Dark Lord acted as nothing had happened, but Charis seemed to know that he had failed to perform the Curse.  
"My Lord? May I acknowledge that this type of wand does not work with other wizards, however skilled and powerful they are? It's a very stubborn wand!" The Dark Lord nodded, giving her back the wand.  
"Wormtail, as I was saying, don't you want to bring forward our special guest?" With a nod, Wormtail disappeared again and Voldemort walked towards Lucius.

"I still require your wand!" Closing his eyes, he gave the Lord his wand, letting his head hang down in shame. Narcissa seated herself next t husband and son, trying to stay strong, while facing those embarrassing moments. Draco, now sitting again between mother and aunt, looked at the stunningly gorgeous female. He never thought he would find a girl attractive with such a high resemblance of his aunt, but she was just... different. As she stood by the fireplace, smiling triumphal towards the Dark Lord, she looked so calm at this yet so awkward situation.

"My Lord?", Wormtail asked quietly. Over his head, a blond female was floating, looking very unconscious.  
"Bring her forward! I want to try out how your wand works with me, Lucius. What was it again?", asked Voldemort while the elderly female was hovering over the table.

"Elm, my Lord." Lucius said quietly, not looking up.  
Voldemort looked at him with anger. "What core?"

Lucius cleared his throat. "Dragon heartstring!"  
"A very long wand, I must admit! How long exactly, Lucius?"

"18inches, my Lord!"  
"Brilliant. That should work quite fine!" Pointing the wand towards the elderly, blond women, the Dark Lord yelled: "Avada Kedavra!" With a loud sound, the dead body crashed on the table. While Voldemort laughed in joy, the Death Eaters winced. Even Charis didn't look too fond about the ending of this situation.

As the Death Eaters sensed an even worse ending to come, the stood up and leaved to room, one by one, keeping their heads down. Only Bellatrix and Charis were remaining in their positions. Voldemort didn't seem to take any notice in both females.  
"Nagini, come, dine!", Voldemort hissed in Parseltounge, as his snake slide out of the darkness towards the table.

"What a beautiful snake", said Charis, speaking in Parseltounge as well.


End file.
